What Is Butternut squash and How Can I Use It?

Butternut squash is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 151 recipes to get you started.

What is butternut squash?

Butternut squash is the tan, bell-shaped winter squash with a long solid neck and a bulb at the bottom that holds the seeds. Cut it open and the flesh is deep orange and dense, with a nutty sweetness that lands somewhere between a sweet potato and a pumpkin.

Australians and South Africans call it butternut pumpkin and treat it the same way.

Of all the winter squashes, this is the one to reach for when you don't want a fight. The skin is thin and the shape is mostly straight, so a peeler takes it off in a few passes.

That ease makes it the most-used squash in this kitchen, in 151 recipes and counting.

Cooking With Butternut Squash

Roasting is what butternut does best. Peel it, scoop the seeds, cube it into ¾-inch pieces, toss with oil and salt, and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 25 to 35 minutes until the edges caramelize. That browning is the whole point; it turns the sugars deep and savory.

For soup, you can skip peeling. Halve the squash and scoop the seeds, then roast it cut side down at 400°F (200°C) for about 45 minutes. Scoop the soft flesh straight from the skin and blend.

Vegan Creamy Pumpkin Soup uses exactly this trick.

Cubed butternut also folds beautifully into grains and pasta. Butternut Squash & Brown Rice Pilaf and Cheesy Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna both lean on roasted cubes for body and sweetness, and Maple & Dried Cranberry Chicken with Butternut Squash pairs it with fruit and meat in one pan.

What Pairs With It and What Goes Wrong

Butternut loves warm and sharp flavors. Sage, brown butter, nutmeg, cinnamon, maple, and Parmesan all play to its sweetness, while ginger, lime, and chili cut through it. Crispy bacon and toasted nuts add the salt and crunch it lacks on its own.

The most common mistake is crowding the pan. Pile cubes on top of each other and they steam instead of brown, going pale and watery. Give them a single layer with space between, and flip once halfway.

Underseasoning is the other trap. The flesh is sweet, so it needs more salt than you'd think and a hit of acid at the end. A squeeze of lime or a splash of vinegar wakes the whole dish up.

Substitutes

The closest swap is pumpkin or kabocha, both sweet and dense enough to behave the same way in soups and purees. Kabocha is drier, so it stays firmer when roasted.

Sweet potato is the easy pantry stand-in. It roasts and purees almost identically, though it's sweeter and a little stringier, so cut back on any added sugar. Carrots work in a soup for color and sweetness but lack the body.

For pasta and risotto, acorn squash fills in, though its flesh is looser and you'll want to drain it before mixing.

Buying and Storing

Pick a squash that feels heavy for its size with matte, not glossy, skin. A glossy sheen means it was picked early and won't be as sweet. The stem should be dry and corky; a soft stem or any mushy spots mean it's going.

A long neck and small bulb gives you more solid flesh and fewer seeds.

Whole, an uncut butternut keeps for two to three months in a cool, dry spot around 50 to 55°F (10 to 13°C). Don't refrigerate it whole; cold turns the flesh gummy.

Once cut, wrap it tightly and refrigerate, where it lasts about five days. Peeled cubes freeze well raw; spread them on a tray to freeze solid, then bag them and roast straight from frozen.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find butternut squash: Butternut squash is usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Butternut squash is a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

南瓜

British (UK) term

Butternut squash

en français

courge butternut

en español

butternut calabaza

How much does butternut squash weigh?

Related

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Recipes using butternut squash

There are 151 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Sweet Squash Soup

Sweet butternut squash soup blended with apples, carrots, onions, and fresh ginger into a creamy vegan puree. Six ingredients, no broth, naturally sweet and warming.

Best Curried Squash Soup

Curried squash soup made with pre-cooked butternut squash, garlic, curry powder, and chicken stock. A 40-minute warming bowl topped with sour cream and scallions for color and tang.

Gluten Free Butternut Squash Soup

Gluten-free butternut squash soup, naturally creamy and warmed with curry powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. A velvety, low-fat fall soup blended right in the pot.

Jimmy's Butternut Squash Chowder

Vegan butternut squash chowder made creamy without a drop of dairy. Blended squash, sweet potato, and carrot form a velvety base, brightened with garlic, rosemary, and thyme and topped with toasted almonds.

Apple, Cheddar & Winter Squash Soup

A hearty yet wholesome winter soup is made with apple, potato, butternut squash, cheddar and prosciutto, simmered in a mixture of cider, broth and milk. It's creamy, tasty and packed with goodness.

Dad's Butternut Soup

Butternut squash soup with apples, onion, ground ginger, and apple cider. A creamy fall classic with a sweet-tart edge from the cider, finished with a swirl of milk or cream.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup brushed with chestnut honey before roasting, finished with shallots, rosemary, and butter. Brothy fall soup with deep caramelized flavor, not the usual heavy puree.

Vegan Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Healthy vegan pumpkin soup with butternut squash, aromatic garlic and onions, blended silky smooth for a plant-based comfort meal under 200 calories per serving.

Mom's Butternut Squash Soup

It was very tasty and I also used this as a base for squash soup with maple-apple flavored chicken sausage as part of a new recipe

Vegetarian Mac & “Cheese”

Your family will be none the wiser when you offer up this vegetarian creamy “mac and cheese”.

Squash Apple Walnut Bisque

Butternut squash bisque simmered with apples, walnuts, apple cider, and warm fall spices. A creamy autumn soup with optional cheddar and a touch of cream for richness.

Cheesy Roasted Pear, Butternut & Leek Soup

Cheesy Roasted Pear, Butternut and Leek Soup recipe

Autumn Squash & Apple Soup

Butternut squash and apple soup blends Granny Smith with rosemary and marjoram, thickened naturally with bread cubes and finished with an egg yolk and cream liaison. Pure autumn in a bowl.

Butternut Bisque

Velvety butternut squash bisque with carrots, Spanish onion, and a whisper of nutmeg. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. A make-ahead fall and winter staple.

Butternut Squash, Black Bean & Tortilla Stew

Had some butternut squash, home-boiled black beans and corn tortillas that needed to be used up. This recipe sounded like a perfect fit, and it was very filling and delicious too.

Thai Curry Squash Soup

This delicious Thai curry soup is packed with goodness and great flavour. It warms you up instantly. Perfect for a cold winter supper when served with a bowl of rice.

Aduki & Squash Soup

Aduki and squash soup blends sweet butternut, earthy adzuki beans, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and savory miso for a rich vegan fall soup with a Japanese-macrobiotic backbone. High in fibre and deeply warming.

Scaramouche Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup from Scaramouche, the iconic Toronto restaurant. Squash roasted in halves, then pureed with leeks, onions, garlic, thyme, and a swirl of cream. Pure fall comfort.

Vegetable Porridge

Might want to eat it with a blindfold. It tastes a hell of a lot better than it looks.

Best Apple & Butternut Squash Soup

Silky butternut squash and apple soup with warm curry and chili, the tart Granny Smith apples balancing the squash's sweetness. Pureed smooth and finished with cream for a cozy fall and winter bowl.

Comfy Winter Squash & Apple Soup

Vegan winter squash and apple soup with butternut squash, sweet potato, apples, and a Chinese five-spice kick. Eight ingredients, naturally creamy, perfect fall comfort food.

Creamy Squash, Apple, & Corn Bisque

Creamy squash, apple, and corn bisque: butternut, Granny Smith apples, and sweet corn simmered with leeks, finished with cream and nutmeg. A tart-sweet fall bowl topped with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Very Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy vegan butternut squash soup blended with blanched almonds for a dairy-free silky texture, finished with curry powder and topped with pepitas, parsley and cherry tomato halves. No cream, no dairy, all velvet.

Pumpkin & Tomato Bisque

Pumpkin and tomato bisque with butternut squash, maple syrup, and slow-sweated onions, finished with optional red pepper puree garnish. Low-fat, gluten-free fall soup that skips heavy cream.

Butternut Squash Casserole

Keep enjoying the warmth of summer days with this colorful dish!

Butternut Squash & Parmesan Custard Bread Pudding

It's a delicious savory bread pudding that's perfect for fall when it's the time for us to get lots of butternut squash. It's aslo a very tasty side dish or a vegetarian main course at Thanksgiving or Christmas time.

Sue's Sweet Butternut Squash Soup

Sweet butternut squash soup with apples, carrots, brown sugar, and a hint of cinnamon, finished with skim milk for a low-fat creamy texture. The cozy fall soup that tastes like autumn in a bowl.

Creamy Butternut Squash Pear Soup

Creamy butternut squash and pear soup, a velvety autumn first course with thyme, coriander, and a finishing swirl of cream. Garnished with sliced pear and sesame seeds.

Healthy Chicken Pasta Bake

A delicious and wholesome, healthy dinner recipe that has under 500 calories per serving and will keep you full for hours. It takes just 30 minutes to make and is perfect for a nutritious week-night meal. It’s family pleasing, creamy and perfect for making the most of any leftover veggies.

Coconut Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Coconut curried butternut squash soup: sweet squash simmered with coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and curry paste, then blended silky-smooth. A creamy, dairy-free, paleo-friendly bowl.

Roasted Root Vegetable Galette with Black Olives

Black olives are mixed into the whole wheat galette dough, different kinds of fresh, seasonal and roasted root vegetables, it is delicious!

Pinta Bean & Butternut Tacos with Fresh Green Salsa

Roasted butternut squash with cooked seasoned pinta beans, stuffed into the warmed tocos, sprink some crumbled feta cheese on top, a perfect side dish or vegetarian main dish.

Curried Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

This spicy soup is perfect for the Autumn season and is sure to please everyone's hunger.

Butternut Squash & Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

Creamy arborio rice risotto with roasted butternut squash, earthy shiitake mushrooms, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. A low-fat, vegetarian comfort dish that's worthy of a dinner party.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger & Lime

Butternut squash soup with fresh ginger, garlic, and a bright squeeze of lime. Silky pureed soup finished with crispy fried ginger and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Thanksgiving Winter Squash With Caramelized Onions

Roasted butternut squash folded with slow-caramelized onions, golden slivered almonds, raisins, and warm cinnamon. This vegetarian Thanksgiving side dish bakes in under 90 minutes and fills your kitchen with the sweet, earthy aroma of the holidays.

Baked Butternut Squash

Easy baked butternut squash seasoned with the warmth of cardamom and star anise.

Butternut Squash, Green Beans & Tofu

Western-style stir-fry, that uses Sweet butternut squash balanced with a chili sauce. Quick, easy and tasty.

Chickpea, Lentil & Winter Squash Stew

It was so flavorful, instead of broth, we used canned tomato. Served the stew with homemade whole wheat bread, yum.

Golden Autumn Soup

Golden autumn soup: a silky puree of butternut squash, carrots, potato and leeks finished with cream and a splash of white wine. Fall vegetables in a single warming bowl.

Phyllo Purses with Roasted Squash, Peppers, & Artichokes

This is an AMAZING and beautiful meal. Make sure you have lots of sauce!

Butternut Squash & Yam Casserole

This casserole was scrumptious, the butternut squash and the sweet potatoes turned out soft, sweet and full of flavor; burglar gave the meaty texture and soaked all the delicious flavor; tomato, red wine and stock made a delicious base for this casserole.

Chocolate Chip, Walnuts & Pumpkin (Squash) Bread

A very moist bread. Butternut squash adds the moisture and great flavor into the bread, chocolate chips and walnuts give the extra layers of flavors and textures. The glaze makes the bread looks so attractive. A delicious bread is great at any occasion.

Chickpea & Butternut Squash Casserole

A tasty, filling and nutritious dish. It was easy to make, both the flavor and the texture were great. We had it with a few slices of homemade whole wheat bread, delicious!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese with Penne

Roasted butternut squash and onions add tons of delicious flavor, roasted walnuts and freshly chopped basil definitely give the pasta another layer of yumminess. It can be served as a main course or a side dish!

Butternut Squash, Bell Pepper, Corn & Cheddar Casserole

A very tasty way to cook squash, and it's also a cozy dish in a cold winter day. Packed with nutrients, feel free to use other similar squash to replace butternut.

Holiday Roasted Root Vegetables

Seasonal root vegetables are tossed with olive oil, salt and black pepper, after baking, they look nice and colourful, you can serve them with any kind of your favorite gravy or roasted turkey, chikcen, it is also a fantasitc side dish.

Butternut Squash with Parmesan Gratin

A great method to use up the seasonal butternut squash, bread crumb mixture became crispy and golden brown after baking, and love the sweetness of butternut squash.

Ramsay's Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus

A fantastic healthy dip perfect for the holidays or anytime you might have company coming. Butternut squash is roasted with an Arabic Ras El Hanout spice mixture. Based on a recipe by Gordon Ramsay.

Butternut Squash & Cheddar Casserole

This is one of the best butternut squash casserole I have ever made. There were lots of flavors and textures going on. We made half of the recipe, I added some buttermilk powder into milk to make the buttermilk and used the dried thyme, otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It came out cheesy, sweet and tasty, but not too feeling heavy or rich afterwords, definitely a keeper!

All 151 recipes